Need Inspiration? Don’t Just Sit There – Do Something!

Whatever your profession—writer, designer, editor, entrepreneur, writing coach, consultant, educator, farmer, parent—the turn of the new year reminds us we’re looking at a fresh calendar full of possibilities. How do we make the most of it if we’re lacking creative inspiration?

Inspiration, like routine, is behavioral. It’s an internal result of an external action. We have to do something to be inspired. Creatives often think that inspiration hits them unprovoked. This simply isn’t the case. We have to put ourselves in positions for inspiration to come. We have to be exploring, discovering or seeing. We have to be listening or thinking or moving. It’s a result, not a random act. (30)

You want ideas? Need inspiration? Help your mind break free from routines: Do something. Mumaw offers a starter-list of ideas to get you in motion:

Read a book

Take a walk

Watch a video

See a movie

Throw a paper airplane

Wear a headband

Stand backward in the elevator

Draw a stick figure

Tell a joke

Find a new blog

Disassemble a stapler

Create a paperclip monster

Solve a new problem

Each of those will create opportunities for mental exploration, discovering, thinking, moving or doing. Each of those, Mumaw points out, launches with a verb—each requires doing something. “Inspiration,” he concludes, “is found through verbs. So verb” (30).

When you need inspiration throughout the year ahead, make your own list of verbs and do something. Who knows? You might find creative inspiration in the middle of a snowball fight, a trip to an art museum, a tour of an apiary, or a walk on the beach.

Loving your new look and new direction, Ann! (But please figure out a way for us to subscribe to comments, okay?) I’m feeling buried by end of the year enjoyment and obligations and need a break from blogging and even from writing, I think. So I’ll be around a little, but not too much. I’m toying with some of the ideas you and I discussed in our Skype conversation during the class and even had Lyla design a couple of buttons for me . . . we shall see.

You’re so sweet–I will talk with Chris about turning the subscribe to comments feature on, but he doesn’t recommend it. Taking a break is great–another way to get some inspiration is to get a breather and live life. Can’t wait to see what you might do based on our conversation. Nice teaser to lure us in!

The first 2 work great, but do not seem to work quite as well with constant interruptions to my train of thought….

(In reference to your conversation with Diana) I read somewhere that DISQUS works well with WP, so that may be another option? I had to remove it from my blog because it doesn’t play well with the recent Google changes, but – while I had it – it was easy for folk to know I had responded.

Ann – Yes, this is a great post, and a great one FOR ME! Thank you. I love all that you are doing in your life and in this space. It’s so true to who you are. I am so thankful to be heading into 2014 WITH you!

Providing you with resources and inspiration to be more curious, creative, and productive.

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Ann Kroeker is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Not every link leads to compensation, but assume that each one does.